We believe that in a commercial venue a project must always be developed so to enhance the product, its in-store merchandising and its sales. There are of course several ways to achieve these goals but we, in particular, strive for solutions that will allow customers to experience the product as comfortably as possible.
In the case of Livraria da Vila bookstore, such comfort is translated into the composition of low-ceiling spaces, dark tones, indirect lighting and infinite shelves – arranged in careful disarray – covering all walls to the ceiling.
One enters the store between pivoting bookcases encased in glass - part door, part window, part bookcase - and whichever direction one looks at there are books and an unpretentious feel, reminding that of used-book stores and making customers at ease to browse the shelves for the titles they want, to leaf through or even read them in the couches and easy chairs scattered around the multiple stories.
Located in a dense area of mixed land use in São Paulo and set back from the street behind a small plaza, the store has three floors, each presenting a different product or genre. Voids all wrapped in books and cut into the slabs create visual connection between floors and let customers peek up or down, for a hint on what is next to see: ground floor is taken by general literature; first floor is all about music and movies CDs and DVDs, along with a 40-seat café; and finally, basement is reserved for children’s books and a small auditorium, where classes, lectures and readings take place.